Believe
by Inuzuka Notori
Summary: ShizNat. My first fic! Opera-style songfic to Believe by Savatage. If the Festival had taken a different turn. Lots of drawn out imagery. See profile for full summary.


Disclaimer: I don't own Mai HiME or "Believe" by Savatage.

My first fic so try and take it easy on me heehee! This is meant to be an alteration of the HiME Festival, just for some creative flow and I felt like starting things off with a song-fic, but I wanted to make it so that the only dialogue is the lyrics. If you've ever heard the song Believe by Savatage you can see how things intensify with the music.

The metaphor of "one night stands" refers to all the people in Natsuki's life who she might have been friends with momentarily but nothing ever lasted.

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A soft ominous wind blew across the stone walkway that led into a traditional-style home. Silence echoed through the girl's mind, as she stood there alone, crimson irises staring off into the distance. They followed the now faded, shadowy figure of her love as she whispered,

"So after all these one night stands, you've ended up with heart in hand… A child alone, on your own… retreating."

Shizuru sighed into a mirthless smile and started to walk after the slowing, exhausted figure.

Meanwhile along the now darkening path, the blue haired girl was trying to catch her breath. Even in her fittest form, her heart had a limit as to how fast it could beat. As Natsuki tumbled to the ground, she stared at the dirt and punched the ground cursing.

"Regretful for the things you're not… and all the dreams you haven't got."

The girl groaned slightly as she shifted from her hands and knees to lean against a thick weave of bushes. With a deep breath, all of the truths of her current situation had hit her.

"Without a home, a heart of stone… Lies bleeding."

Shizuru approached, pushing herself through the ocean of Natsuki's secrets. As if each step were to remind her why she would forever protect this girl… no matter what it would cost.

"And for all the roads you followed, and for all you did not find…" she was so close now, "And for all the things you had to leave behind…"

She stopped a few feet away from the still huffing girl who only stared at the ground while shaking.

"I am the way, I am the light, I am the dark inside the night. I hear your hopes, I feel your dreams, and in the dark I hear your screams."

Shizuru leaned down and draped a blanket over her love's shoulders and shockingly was not met with protest; proof that Natsuki was not trembling for the reason she feared. The elder girl lowered herself onto her knees, facing the younger. A hand felt its way through the raven tresses while slowly pressing their two foreheads against each other.

Natsuki lay in wait with shut eyes, tears of sorrow seeping from their corners. It was then that a lullaby-like whisper calmed her.

"Don't turn away, just take my hand and when you make your final stand, I'll be right there, I'll never leave. All I ask of you is…"

Glistening jade eyes opened with authentic bliss, "…Believe," and with that their lips met.

The pair remained in this passionate hold before their heartbeats rose to an even heavier pounding. To prove her sincerity, Natsuki wrapped her arms around the other girl's and pulling her off balance and into an embrace. Though it may not have been comfortable any other moment, this mess of entwined limbs was heaven to them. With her shining green eyes reflecting the moonlight and her face in the crook of the other's neck she cried.

"Your childhood eyes were so intense, while bartering your innocence, for bits of string, the grown up wings you needed."

Shizuru continued basking in the words of her love before some words shook her into seriousness.

"But when you had to add them up, you found that they were not enough, to get you in, and pay for sins repeated."

The girl's red eyes could not control the pressure building behind them. She backed away, sitting on her heels with her hands over her heart. These words, they were true, would it be forgivable?

Natsuki followed, leaning forward to grasp onto those quivering hands.

"And for all the years you borrowed, and for all the tears you cried, and for all the fears you had to keep inside."

She then stood up, pulling Shizuru with her while repeating those same protective words.

"I am the way, I am the light, I am the dark inside the night. I hear your hopes, I feel your dreams and in the dark I hear your screams."

Natsuki relaxed herself against the warm body while looking up into her eyes, slowly entwining their fingers.

"Don't turn away, just take my hand, and when you make your final stand I'll be right there, I'll never leave, all I ask of you… is believe."

On the final sealing word wind blew up to the heavens, seemingly carrying their souls into the sky and fusing them as one. Shizuru loosened the tenseness of her hands and moved them from her chest to around the waist of her counterpart. She turned her head to lean her cheek on Natsuki's moist hair, urging the girl to openly plead her thoughts.

"I never wanted to know, never wanted to see, I wasted my time, 'till time wasted me!"

Ruby orbs opened in surprise at the exclamation, but the girl relied on her instinct to solve the other's lament. The shades of blue sky and white moonlight that coated the cherry blossom leaves under the night surrounded the couple. When another forceful wind approached, if they were waiting to catch its' surf, Shizuru took off in a dance-like run, leading Natsuki by her hand into escape.

"I never wanted to go, I always wanted to stay, 'cause the persons I am are the parts that I play."

They continued along the smooth stone path until it trailed off. The older girl took the first step down a thin root-covered trail, using her unseen vigor to keep the younger balanced. Soon they came across another hidden path, altering their course accordingly while Shizuru continued to explain herself.

"So I plot and I plan and I hope and I scheme to the lure of a night filled with unfinished dreams."

Moving gracefully though some low-hanging branches, they had at last reached their magnificent destination.

"And I'm holding on tight to a world gone astray, as they charge me for years I can no longer pay."

Still hand in hand, the two girls looked out over an immaculate valley thick with trees. The lunar glow seemed to fall into this place from the sky and rise to the brim creating a pool of light. While listening to the thundering waterfall, they turned to face each other, both with flawless expressions of joy and liberation. Then, with each word bringing further closeness between their bodies, they alternately soothed each other with now familiar words.

"I am the way  
I am the light  
I am the dark  
Inside the night  
I hear your hopes  
I feel your dreams  
And in the dark  
I hear your screams

Don't turn away  
Just take my hand  
And when you make your final stand  
I'll be right there  
I'll never leave  
And all I ask of you...

Believe..."


End file.
